NLRB files lawsuit against Red Cross

The National Labor Relations Board filed suit in Peoria's federal court recently against the local chapter of the American Red Cross, alleging the organization has engaged in unfair labor practices by not bargaining in good faith with its employees.

The National Labor Relations Board filed suit in Peoria's federal court recently against the local chapter of the American Red Cross, alleging the organization has engaged in unfair labor practices by not bargaining in good faith with its employees.

Officials from the Heart of America blood services division of the Red Cross dispute that and point to several bargaining sessions held since February.

"The American Red Cross continues to believe that we have acted in good faith and have not violated any labor laws," the company said in a statement last week.

The suit, filed Aug. 1, asks for an injunction against the Red Cross which the NLRB says will allow time for the normal course of events to play out before an administrative law judge.

Normally, the NLRB takes its complaints before an administrative law judge who hears evidence from both sides and issues a ruling months later. Here, the NLRB felt the normal course would result in harm being done to the 170 or so employees represented by American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees.

Both sides began to present their case before a law judge this week in hearings that could wrap up by Friday. A decision isn't expected for months, and that's why Leonard Perez, the NLRB's officer in charge of the Peoria subregion, says an injunction is needed.

"We do so when we think the conduct is bad enough - by an employer or a union - and needs to be stopped while we have the hearing before the administrative law judge which can be appealed," Perez said.

The suit alleges some 170 employees voted four years ago to unionize and workers won the right to become a collective bargaining unit last year. Perez said the delay came from challenges from the Red Cross to some of the holdings by the newly formed bargaining unit.

Employees claim the Red Cross has unilaterally changed several conditions of their employment while the workers were certifying a union to represent them, Among the changes were: "discontinued matching employees' 401(k) contributions, suspended employees' merit pay increases, closed the retirement pension plan to new employees, and announced changes to employee health insurance benefits," the suit alleges.

In a statement, officials from the Red Cross say the organization "strives to treat our unionized employees with fairness and respect."

"Employees in the Heart of America Blood Services Region continue to work without interruption and the Red Cross expects to maintain all operations as scheduled while we continue negotiations. This hearing will have no impact on other Red Cross operations," continued the statement.